TREES, DUSTY PINK SKY, SUNSET, PASTORAL 6x8 LANDSCAPE by TOM BROWN

This one is all about the light and color. There are many delicate hues that simply cannot be detected on the computer monitor; it really needs to be seen in person. But I must say this is one of my recent favorites. I think you’ll like it. Good luck bidding.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

I painted this at the ocean in Laguna Beach as a demonstration for my Plein Air class Saturday. It's painted on a lightweight fom-cor panel that I gessoed before painting it. The gesso caused the panel to slightly warp, but I think it should easily flatten again when mounted in a frame. This painting is a little gem and I think it will look wonderful when properly framed and displayed in any room.

This auction has a starting bid of just $1, or an instant-purchase price of $65.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

TREE, MOUNTAINS, SKY, ACEO, POSTCARD, POCKET PAINTING by TOM BROWN

Paintings this size are known by various names such as miniatures, ACEOs (Art Cards Editions & Originals), postcard paintings or pocket paintings. And they are highly collectible.

When time or circumstances do not permit a larger painting these small sizes allow me to explore an idea, capture a moment on location or work out problems before launching into a large painting in the studio.

Many ACEOs measure 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches but this card actually measures slightly larger at 4x3 inches. It is small enough to fit in your pocket or use as an elegant bookmark.

And yet in the right frame it will make a beautiful statement in any room of the home. (This painting is sold unframed but I am showing an example of how it might look in a frame.)

Friday, April 27, 2012

Paintings this size are known by various names such as miniatures, ACEOs (Art Cards Editions & Originals), postcard paintings or pocket paintings. And they are highly collectible.

When time or circumstances do not permit a larger painting these small sizes allow me to explore an idea, capture a moment on location or work out problems before launching into a large painting in the studio.

Many ACEOs measure 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches but this card actually measures slightly larger at 4x3 inches. It is small enough to fit in your pocket or use as an elegant bookmark.

And yet in the right frame it will make a beautiful statement in any room of the home. (This painting is sold unframed but I am showing an example of how it might look in a frame.)

Saturday, April 21, 2012

This painting was done during a Plein Air workshop I conducted for other artists this morning. A wild palm tree stands at the far edge of a field, dwarfed by towering trees around it. I felt the variety of colors in the sky and trees added extra interest to this little gem.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

How this painting happened is a funny story. While driving in the desert at sunset I witnessed this fantastic light and color on the mountains. I knew the magic would go quickly, but I wanted to capture it first. No time to waste.

I pulled to the side of the road, opened my sketchbook (the first thing that was handy), and did a 30-second pencil sketch of the big shapes: mountains, trees, desert floor. Bam! Just the basics.

Then I whipped open the little paintbox you've seen in my YouTube videos. With a few rapid-fire flicks of the brush I captured the colors, right over the pencil sketch. Bam, bam, bam. Got it! And just in time. A moment later it all disappeared.

But not before I captured the sun here.

Wouldn't you like this little bit of sunshine on your wall? Don't let it get away.

Saturday, April 07, 2012

The colorful orange groves that gave Orange County its name are nearly gone now. When I moved to California years ago my home was surrounded by these groves. I enjoyed setting up my easel among the trees and painting scenes like this on site.

Fallen fruit at the base of the trees often formed a colorful orange carpet before the pickers could harvest the crops. Towering eucalyptus trees formed protective wind breaks, adding drama to an already beautiful scene. It was an artist's paradise.

In fact when I was asked by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra to create a painting of my choice on a piano for a fundraiser, I chose the orange groves for my subject. I'm including a photo of that piano here as an additional point of interest.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

This painting was created in the studio, based on the small study I posted yesterday. The original study was done on location (en plein air). In that painting I wanted to capture the mood of the moment, which required me to work quickly before the light changed.

Then I used that study as the basis for the larger painting shown today, which was done as a demonstration painting in the studio during my usual Wednesday evening workshop.

For this painting I was able to work at a more leisurely pace with more attention to fine details. I was pleased with the results. I hope you like it too. Email me if you would like to own it.tombrownstudio@cox.net

This painting was created as a small "quick study" for a larger studio painting. Studies like this can help capture the mood while it’s still fresh. Then a larger canvas can be created in the studio using the study as a guide to retain the spontaneity of the moment.

I painted this using a miniature hand-held version of the pochade paintbox seen in many of my YouTube videos. This study was painted on a heavy paper stock, similar in weight to a postcard.

I began with a simple freehand sketch using a black marker, then painted directly on that sketch with oil paints.

Monday, April 02, 2012

ARTISTS: If you live in the Orange County area of Southern California, I invite you to join me for my next series of Plein Air classes that begins this Saturday. We meet for 5 consecutive Saturday mornings from 9am to noon at various locations like this. My classes are constructed to accommodate all skill levels and I give all the personal guidance you like. If you’re interested, email me for details.tombrownstudio@cox.net

ABOUT THIS PAINTING: This is another painting that was done as a demonstration for other artists during a Plein Air Workshop I taught recently.

Nature cast a spotlight briefly on the distant trees and I couldn’t resist. Before the lighting conditions could change I quickly blocked in the composition to capture these effects. It was a gray day with overcast skies and softened colors but this natural spotlight brought magic to the scene.

Once I had the basic composition established I allowed myself to slow down and complete the painting with all the subtleties I liked so much about the scene. I was very pleased with the results.

I thought it might also be interesting to see a photo of the actual site for comparison with my interpretation so I shot a photo as I painted this.

Preview my book here

About Me

I am an American artist and I host a TV Art Instruction show where I teach studio oil painting and plein air painting in the Impressionist style.
I also teach other artists how to paint through oil painting workshops and art instruction CDs and DVDs.
My Impressionist plein air landscapes, still life compositions, portraits and figure paintings have been represented through prominent galleries for more than 20 years.
My paintings are in corporate collections including the City of Irvine, Sears, Standard Oil, and Coca Cola. My work is often seen in leading art publications like Southwest Art, Art & Antiques, American Art Review, American Art Collector, Art Calendar and others.
I am a former president of the Orange Art Association and past member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and Southern California Plein Air Painters Association.
On my Daily Painter blog I offer affordable small original oil paintings to introduce my work to new and ongoing collectors. Much of my work these days is done on a private commission basis, and I welcome inquiries.
Thanks for looking.